Dear Pastor
I hope this letter finds you well. I don’t usually write my supporting churches personal letters, but our current situation dictates that I do. I hope that you have been kept updated concerning Dolly and our situation, via our updates, website, social media and prayer letters. Most of our current updates go out via email, thus if you are not on our emailing list you have not been kept abreast of the trials we are facing. I will try to capsulize what has transpired over the last several months.
In late August of last year, Dolly and I returned to the US to say goodbye to Dolly’s eighty-eight year old mother as she was on her death bed. Mom rebounded for a while but did go to be with Jesus in April. While we were stateside, we decided to have Dolly’s semiannual check up a little early. We were amazed and disappointed to find out that the CT scan taken on the twenty-second of September revealed that Dolly’s cancerous tumors had returned. Beginning on November twelve, Dolly did six cycles of chemotherapy and on April the twenty-second, Dolly was tested again. We praise the Lord that there was some minimal reduction in her tumors, but it was also discovered that blood clots were in both of Dolly’s lungs. She was hospitalized immediately and put on blood thinning medications by mouth and injection. We then counseled with Dolly’s oncologist in Cleveland and were told that Dolly would have to “be on chemotherapy the rest of her life." Because of the poor quality of life a cancer patient experiences during chemotherapy, this was not an option for us. We prayed and asked God for direction. We contacted two medical institutions that specialize in only the treatment of cancer. The first was the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia, and the other was the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. I told God that the first to respond to our enquiries is where we would go for another opinion. Moffitt responded first.
Now that brings us to where we are today. After seeing a doctor at Moffitt for consultation, Dolly was tested again. At first the doctor thought that there was some continued reduction in Dolly’s tumors and was putting chemotherapy “in his back pocket." But after the doctor investigated further with the radiologist, he determined this was not the case. Not only does he feel there has been some growth, but to our dismay possibly some new lesions as well. We are now faced with the decision of Dolly’s treatment options. With surgery and radiation out of the question, the only option is a different type of chemotherapy drug and clinical trial of chemotherapy that only five hundred patients in all of America are receiving. We are in a dilemma and request prayer! We know that God is faithful and that His will definitely will be accomplished in our lives, no matter what that may entail.
It, therefore, has been determined by divine providence and, as a result, of Dolly’s health situation that our ministries in Europe have been put on hold. Our future of fulltime involvement in European Gypsy ministry seems unclear, especially with the fact that due to Dolly’s cancer, blood clots, treatments and general health, she may never return to Europe again. I feel like the Apostle when he was stuck in Troas in the book of Acts 16. Here we find this great preacher waiting for clear direction of where God wanted him to preach the gospel. I see three things that Paul did while he was docked at Troas:
1) He prayed. I believe after the doors were closed on Paul by the Holy Spirit for Asia and Bithynia, that this faithful servant of God fell on his face in prayer (between verses 8 and 9), seeking the will and direction of God concerning his future ministry. This is the man who prayed at his conversion, ."Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”
2) He was patient. I believe Paul waited on God to reveal to him the direction he was to go before he “loosed from Troas." I don’t know how long it took for God to answer, but Paul still tied to the dock in Troas was patient.
3) He was perceptive. His ears and eyes were open. Paul knew that God would reveal to him somehow, and someway where he was to serve Him. This is why Paul not only saw the Macedonian in his version but heard him say “come over." Paul was perceptive.
Dolly and I are “stuck in Troas," so to speak, as well. We are praying and attempting to be patient, but also trying to be perceptive to God’s leading. Our eyes and ears are open, ready to hear from God and ready to see what He has in store for us. Many of you have supported us since the very beginning of our ministry in 1989. Some of you have recently joined our team. We are so thankful for all of you. Our burden for our precious Gypsies is stronger today than ever before (Rom. 9:3). Please keep in mind that we were never called to a geographical location but rather to a people group. So far the Lord has led us these twenty-five years to minister to the Roma in Cleveland, OH; Mansfield, OH; Detroit, MI; Pittsburg, PA; Miami, FL, and in Hungary and Romania for these past ten years. God has allowed me preach to the Gypsies in Germany, Italy, Albania, Bulgaria and Greece. You followed along our side when we attempted to set up our ministry headquarters in Austria but were denied visas. You have supported us faithfully with your prayers and finances along every journey, and God has given you Gypsy fruit as a result (Phil. 4:17).
We are now residing in Bradenton, Fl as Dolly undergoes medical treatment in Tampa. We are surrounded by Gypsies! You will find Gypsy fortune tellers here on almost every major street and highway. In the past, I even have even preached to the Gypsies of Bradenton at the Bible Baptist Church back when I had a ministry in Miami. I led the Roma patriarch to Christ and had the privilege of baptizing him over a decade ago. Marco Mitchell is in heaven now, but his large family resides here in Bradenton, Sarasota and surrounding communities. If the Lord allows, we will start a ministry here to the Roma.
I still have several ministry “irons in the fire” in Hungary and Romania. And as Dolly’s health allows, and I have the liberty to leave her side, I will continue to minster there from time to time. I am planning on being at the graduation of our institute in October of this year. I still oversee our many ministries there and assist Pastor Rafael and Pastor Fekete.
In closing, I am available for answering any questions you may have. It is also important for you to know that I have counseled with my Pastor, Dr. Kevin Folger and have his full support. My mission’s agency is also aware of the potential changes in our station of service for our Lord
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Specific prayer requests, of course, would be for Dolly’s complete healing. My eighty-four year old mother is in the final stages of life, soon to succumb to cancer. She is excited about going to meet her Saviour and my father who preceded her to Heaven several years ago.
Thank you and remember it’s all…
Because Jesus Deserves the Reward of His Suffering.
Your missionary, Walter Stevens
Hebrews 12:2-4
I hope this letter finds you well. I don’t usually write my supporting churches personal letters, but our current situation dictates that I do. I hope that you have been kept updated concerning Dolly and our situation, via our updates, website, social media and prayer letters. Most of our current updates go out via email, thus if you are not on our emailing list you have not been kept abreast of the trials we are facing. I will try to capsulize what has transpired over the last several months.
In late August of last year, Dolly and I returned to the US to say goodbye to Dolly’s eighty-eight year old mother as she was on her death bed. Mom rebounded for a while but did go to be with Jesus in April. While we were stateside, we decided to have Dolly’s semiannual check up a little early. We were amazed and disappointed to find out that the CT scan taken on the twenty-second of September revealed that Dolly’s cancerous tumors had returned. Beginning on November twelve, Dolly did six cycles of chemotherapy and on April the twenty-second, Dolly was tested again. We praise the Lord that there was some minimal reduction in her tumors, but it was also discovered that blood clots were in both of Dolly’s lungs. She was hospitalized immediately and put on blood thinning medications by mouth and injection. We then counseled with Dolly’s oncologist in Cleveland and were told that Dolly would have to “be on chemotherapy the rest of her life." Because of the poor quality of life a cancer patient experiences during chemotherapy, this was not an option for us. We prayed and asked God for direction. We contacted two medical institutions that specialize in only the treatment of cancer. The first was the Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Philadelphia, and the other was the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. I told God that the first to respond to our enquiries is where we would go for another opinion. Moffitt responded first.
Now that brings us to where we are today. After seeing a doctor at Moffitt for consultation, Dolly was tested again. At first the doctor thought that there was some continued reduction in Dolly’s tumors and was putting chemotherapy “in his back pocket." But after the doctor investigated further with the radiologist, he determined this was not the case. Not only does he feel there has been some growth, but to our dismay possibly some new lesions as well. We are now faced with the decision of Dolly’s treatment options. With surgery and radiation out of the question, the only option is a different type of chemotherapy drug and clinical trial of chemotherapy that only five hundred patients in all of America are receiving. We are in a dilemma and request prayer! We know that God is faithful and that His will definitely will be accomplished in our lives, no matter what that may entail.
It, therefore, has been determined by divine providence and, as a result, of Dolly’s health situation that our ministries in Europe have been put on hold. Our future of fulltime involvement in European Gypsy ministry seems unclear, especially with the fact that due to Dolly’s cancer, blood clots, treatments and general health, she may never return to Europe again. I feel like the Apostle when he was stuck in Troas in the book of Acts 16. Here we find this great preacher waiting for clear direction of where God wanted him to preach the gospel. I see three things that Paul did while he was docked at Troas:
1) He prayed. I believe after the doors were closed on Paul by the Holy Spirit for Asia and Bithynia, that this faithful servant of God fell on his face in prayer (between verses 8 and 9), seeking the will and direction of God concerning his future ministry. This is the man who prayed at his conversion, ."Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?”
2) He was patient. I believe Paul waited on God to reveal to him the direction he was to go before he “loosed from Troas." I don’t know how long it took for God to answer, but Paul still tied to the dock in Troas was patient.
3) He was perceptive. His ears and eyes were open. Paul knew that God would reveal to him somehow, and someway where he was to serve Him. This is why Paul not only saw the Macedonian in his version but heard him say “come over." Paul was perceptive.
Dolly and I are “stuck in Troas," so to speak, as well. We are praying and attempting to be patient, but also trying to be perceptive to God’s leading. Our eyes and ears are open, ready to hear from God and ready to see what He has in store for us. Many of you have supported us since the very beginning of our ministry in 1989. Some of you have recently joined our team. We are so thankful for all of you. Our burden for our precious Gypsies is stronger today than ever before (Rom. 9:3). Please keep in mind that we were never called to a geographical location but rather to a people group. So far the Lord has led us these twenty-five years to minister to the Roma in Cleveland, OH; Mansfield, OH; Detroit, MI; Pittsburg, PA; Miami, FL, and in Hungary and Romania for these past ten years. God has allowed me preach to the Gypsies in Germany, Italy, Albania, Bulgaria and Greece. You followed along our side when we attempted to set up our ministry headquarters in Austria but were denied visas. You have supported us faithfully with your prayers and finances along every journey, and God has given you Gypsy fruit as a result (Phil. 4:17).
We are now residing in Bradenton, Fl as Dolly undergoes medical treatment in Tampa. We are surrounded by Gypsies! You will find Gypsy fortune tellers here on almost every major street and highway. In the past, I even have even preached to the Gypsies of Bradenton at the Bible Baptist Church back when I had a ministry in Miami. I led the Roma patriarch to Christ and had the privilege of baptizing him over a decade ago. Marco Mitchell is in heaven now, but his large family resides here in Bradenton, Sarasota and surrounding communities. If the Lord allows, we will start a ministry here to the Roma.
I still have several ministry “irons in the fire” in Hungary and Romania. And as Dolly’s health allows, and I have the liberty to leave her side, I will continue to minster there from time to time. I am planning on being at the graduation of our institute in October of this year. I still oversee our many ministries there and assist Pastor Rafael and Pastor Fekete.
In closing, I am available for answering any questions you may have. It is also important for you to know that I have counseled with my Pastor, Dr. Kevin Folger and have his full support. My mission’s agency is also aware of the potential changes in our station of service for our Lord
Please continue to keep us in your prayers. Specific prayer requests, of course, would be for Dolly’s complete healing. My eighty-four year old mother is in the final stages of life, soon to succumb to cancer. She is excited about going to meet her Saviour and my father who preceded her to Heaven several years ago.
Thank you and remember it’s all…
Because Jesus Deserves the Reward of His Suffering.
Your missionary, Walter Stevens
Hebrews 12:2-4